Luke Hochevar

[Old Sweater]

Here is a article about Luke Hochevar (http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1173106087/1) that was in The Pueblo Chieftain.

Don't know if it's the water or what but the Arkansas Valley has been producing major league pitchers since Tippy Martinez.

[Old Sweater]

Little Info from the Pueblo Chieftain on the Arkanas Valley Pitchers.

By TRACY RENCK
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Logically speaking, bigger cities across America should produce more professional athletes.

Not because those towns are better than others, but because numbers-wise they have more athletes who have a chance to go on and play pro sports.

Then, there are the small rural Southern Colorado cities of Lamar, La Junta and Fowler that defy logic.

The three communities have an estimated combined population of 17,000, located along the Arkansas River and U.S. Highway 50. But the trio of towns has produced three players currently on major league rosters and two seemingly sure-fire prospects.

San Diego Padres' pitchers Doug Brocail and Mike Thompson and Kansas City Royals' hurler Scott Elarton are all Lamar High School graduates.

Two more hurlers Ñ Fowler High School graduate Luke Hochevar and La Junta native Sean Thompson Ñ are hot commodities in the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres organizations.

Hochevar was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 major league draft for the Royals and Thompson was a 145th overall choice by the Padres in 2002.

Hochevar will probably start the season with either the Wichita Wranglers or the Omaha Royals, Kansas City's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates. Sean Thompson was optioned to the Portland Beavers, the Padres' Triple-A club on March 12. This will be Sean Thompson's first taste of Triple-A ball.

La Junta native Tippy Martinez is the most well-known major league alum from the Southeastern community. He was a left-handed reliever in the majors from 1974-88 with the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins.

Martinez, a fan favorite, pitched in two World Series with Orioles in 1979 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and '83 against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Orioles won the world championship in '83 and that same season, Martinez made his lone appearance in the All-Star Game.

Former Tigers’ hurler Mike O'Quist pitched in the big leagues from 1993-99 with Baltimore, San Diego and the Oakland Athletics.

The proliferation of major leaguers from these Southern Colorado towns is something the players can't explain.

"It must be the water (in Lamar)," Elarton said jokingly. "I don't think that there is a real reason for it other than there is just not a lot much else to do out there. You are either going to be the farm kid and probably not play baseball because you are working all summer or you are going to play baseball all summer."

Hochevar wasn't sure, either.

"I don't know why it is that way," the 6-foot-5 Hochevar said. "I know we were passionate about sports in Fowler and maybe that made a difference."

Brocail is entering his 13th year in the majors, Elarton his ninth season, and Mike Thompson made his major-league debut last year.

"I think it was the way that we were brought up and the coaches that we had," Brocail said. "Jess Downey was my coach and (Dave) Fassiotto was the assistant and then Fassiotto coached Mike. All our coaches were hard-nosed and by God we played the game right. If we were at practice and we weren't doing things right, then we stayed out there until we couldn't see."

Elarton agreed.

"We had good coaches and a lot of success," Elarton said. "I think that really helped us."

Mike Thompson admitted it is weird to see so many familiar faces in the Padres' organization.

"For as small of towns as Lamar and La Junta are it is kind of strange that we would have so many guys in the majors," said Mike Thompson. "We either had a lot of talent or scouts just liked that area."

Mike Thompson did have another theory about the rural Southern Colorado pitchers in the majors.

"One thing all the guys from Lamar have in common is that we are all pretty much over 6-foot-4," Mike Thompson said. "That could be one of the main reason why we had so many guys drafted and get to the majors. Basketball wasn't our deal, but baseball was. Another thing, they had pretty good coaching in the high school. From the years Doug played with Jess Downey and then on to Fassiotto."

Elarton is 6-foot-8 and Brocail and Mike Thompson are both 6-foot-5.

Lamar Savages have won seven baseball state championships, while La Junta has five titles and Fowler three.

"My grandfather (Carl) "Tank" Thompson coached Tippy Martinez in high school and all of the Connie Mack tournaments; he coached Jim Sullivan and just a bunch a people," Sean said. "We got started early as a group of about 15 of us with coach Bob Gleason and the La Junta Slammers. All us played together from the time we were about 8 to 12 years old."

According to Sullivan, the late Tank Thompson coached summer baseball in La Junta in the mid-1960s through the mid-70s.

Sean Thompson pointed out that the unity he had with baseball teams growing up was a definite advantage.

"After we left the Slammers, coaches were keeping us on the same team and we were going up to Denver and beating the heck out of everybody. We were a close-knit town at that time and fans just loved us. At that time in La Junta, baseball and wrestling were the main sports and our parents and coaches helped us succeed."

These men who grew up along the Arkansas River weren't born with baseballs in their hands, but they surely gripped rawhide laces before they could walk or talk.